The Past Always Catches Up To You
by wrestleyourheartout
Summary: You've been wrestling for 2 years & you to join forces with the newest group, The Shield. You get close to them, but things get rocky when Summer brings up your past. Do you trust them enough to tell them what happened, or is it easier to keep it bottled up inside? How will you cope when you fall for one of your team mates?
1. Chapter 1

2 years. Had it really been 2 years?  
I'd grown older, matured and gotten wiser. Things certainly were different from when I first started. I'd gone from being the most hated Diva in the locker room, to one of the most beloved... By a few, at least. I'd beaten everyone on the roster numerous times, had 2 successful championship runs, and was now enjoying my third.  
It took me 2 years to get to the top, but I was finally there.

"We're ready for you".  
Triple H's voice quickly brought me back to the present moment.

I walked into the office and saw 3 young men sat to the right of Vince McMahon. I flashed them a smile and quickly realised that it was Seth sat in the middle. I last saw him when I had visited NXT down in Florida with CM Punk. That was a few months ago now but we'd kept in touch.  
I took my seat opposite them.  
"Before we get started, Penny, let me introduce to you Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and I believe you know Seth" he said, signalling to the men opposite.  
"Gentlemen, this is Penny".  
"You can call me PJ". I hated my name - Penny Olivia James. I get everyone to call me PJ for short and even managed to twist Vince's arm to let me use 'PJ' as my ring name. It took a lot of persuading, but after reminding Vince that I'm not your typical WWE Diva, he reluctantly agreed.

I definitely stood out against the other girls. My hair flowed right down my back and it was dyed red to match my fiery London accent. When I wrestled, my long black leggings were teamed with a studded denim shirt that I ripped the sleeves off of in order to expose my colourful tattoos.

"So, as we've just been discussing, I've called you three up to the RAW roster as a group called 'The Shield'. You're going to be fighting the 'injustice' of the WWE and basically putting right the wrong".  
Triple H looked at me and continued for Vince. "We've called you in here PJ because we want to add you to the group. By adding a familiar face, it will get them over a lot quicker. Not only that, but we haven't got many female managers at the moment. Don't worry though, you'll be keeping the Divas championship and still be part of the Divas division. By having a female member in the group, it means that we can give the fans more inter-gender matches too." Triple H smiled at me.  
I took a minute to let it all sink in.  
"So I get to keep my championship and wrestle the other girls, but at the same time I get to accompany these guys to the ring and help them out from time to time? Sound great!" I said with a slight chuckle.  
Vince looked at his son-in-law and nodded.  
"Now, we are planning on you four to be together for quite some time, so you're going to have to get to know each other. You will be representing the WWE at all times, so that means that you're going to have to travel together, show up to the arenas together and hit the gym together. If you can't manage to stay as a foursome, we want you working as partners."  
We all looked at each other and nodded.  
"Excellent! Well, tonight we are going to have you guys do a run-in attack on CM Punk towards the end of his match with John Cena. When Punk is laying flat out, PJ, you're going to introduce our newly promoted superstars to the WWE Universe. We trust you on the mic, so it'll be totally up to you as to what you say exactly".  
"If everyone is happy, then you three are free to go" Vince said, pointing to my newly appointed team members.  
After they left the room, Triple H & Vince both turned towards me.  
"Are you happy with all of this, PJ?"  
"It sounds great. I think this could really work. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with them".  
"Well after all of the positive feedback you and Punk gave us after you visited NXT, we both thought that it was right to bring you in to accompany them".  
I thanked them both again and walked out.

As I turned the corner, I saw Seth waiting for me. I grinned at him and he pulled me in for a hug.  
"I'm so happy to see you" I exclaimed. "Congratulations on being called up. I told you it wouldn't be long!"  
He smiled at me. "I can't believe that we get to work with you. This is gunna be awesome!"  
I laughed and we began walking. It was only noon so there weren't many people in the arena.  
"Where did the other two go?" I asked.  
"They decided to hit the gym. I'm gunna catch them up if you want to join?"  
"Yeah, I just need to head back to the hotel and grab my stuff first".  
"Sounds good" Seth said as we walked out.

I took out my room key and popped it into the slot. I opened the door and walked in, closely followed by Seth. I threw my bag onto the bed and proceeded to grab my work out clothes from my suitcase. When I was ready, we left and headed to Seth's room, a few doors down. As he began looking for his gym clothes, I took my phone out and decided to text Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn had quickly become one of my closest friends in the Divas locker room when I had signed with the company and we soon became travel buddies. I text her explaining the situation with The Shield and that I wouldn't be travelling with her for a while.  
She text me back saying she was sad but that she understood.

After hitting it hard at the gym, the four of us headed back to the hotel and said our goodbyes before meeting up a few hours later to go over to the arena. Once we got there, the mood was hectic but everyone seemed pleased to see some fresh talent being called up. As the three of them began introducing themselves to the other male superstars, I took off to the Divas locker room. When I walked in, Kaitlyn greeted me with a hug.  
"Are you excited about working with the guys from NXT?"  
"Yeah, it's gunna be a lot of fun and it's a nice change from just beating you chicks all the time" I chuckled and Alicia laughed with me.  
"I can't believe that you have to travel with them though. What am I gunna do without you?" Kaitlyn pouted.  
"I think you'll survive. Plus, it means that every time I see you, we'll have more to catch up on!"  
We continued chatting as I took out my leggings and Batman shirt and slipped them on. Just as I was about to leave to find the boys, Summer walked in.  
"Is it true that we're _finally_ getting rid of you from the Divas division, PJ?" She looked me up and down.  
"In your dreams Summer. I'm just moving up the ranks and working with some new talent. I was handpicked by Vince. It does mean that I'll be seeing less of you, which is one good thing though!" I winked at Kaitlyn.  
She rolled her eyes and walked off.

Summer was tall, tanned and had a stick-thin figure. She had long blonde hair and always wore short dresses to grab attention from the guys. We have been wrestling each other a lot recently and our feud on-screen soon continued off-screen. She doesn't like how I'm not your typical 'Diva'. She can't stand that someone as different as me, is as loved as I am. She always makes a lot of catty comments and has pulled a lot of so called 'pranks' on me. I try not to retaliate, but she certainly gets my blood boiling.

I found the guys talking to Punk and Cena out by the ring.  
"Are you guys going over the plans for later?" I asked.  
"Yeah, and we've been told that we are going to come through the crowd when we make our entrance" Dean told me.  
"Sounds good to me. I'll stick with the ramp if that's okay?"  
The three of them nodded and Triple H made his way down to join us.  
As the guys practised their run in, Punk pulled me to the side.  
"Are you okay with all of this?"  
"Of course! It's nice to have a change. Anyway, I'm not loosing this baby any time soon if that's what you're worried about" I said, rubbing the title on my shoulder.  
"Just promise me that you'll be careful?"

Punk was always looking out for me. He'd become a brother to me and done so much to get me into the business. I had just moved to Chicago when I met him for the first time a little over 2 years ago. I was in the gym, running the ropes and practising my wrestling skills, and then before I knew it we were throwing around in the ring and the next day he brought me in for a house show. I helped him practise some moves before the show and unbeknown to me, Vince, Triple H and JR were stood watching me from the top of the ramp. Apparently I'd impressed them enough for them to offer me a contract, although I'm sure Punk pushed my name pretty hard. I'd never wrestled professionally before then, so it was all very new to me. Because I didn't have any experience in the indies, I wasn't well liked backstage. A lot of the other talent wouldn't talk to me and thought that I had to earn their respect. I could see where they were coming from, but it made the early days very difficult for me. After 4 or 5 months, everyone could see how much passion I had for wrestling and how willing I was to learn, so they slowly started helping me out. I know that a few people still don't get on with me, but it doesn't bother me because I have Punk and Kaitlyn that I can rely on.

I was stood at gorilla and the guys had run off to their positions. I was watching the match on the monitor when I saw Punk grab a chair and hit Cena with it. I knew that was our cue.  
"Good luck!" Triple H called, as I walked off.

I made my way down the ramp as the boys ran down the stairs, through the crowd. They got in the ring and viciously attacked Punk. I circled the ring and grabbed a microphone from the crew. Cena rolled out and headed to the back as Punk was left flat out in the middle of the ring. Roman picked him up and tossed him over the top rope. I knew that this was my time. The crowd were already going crazy, pleased to see Punk get put in his place.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen. We've had enough of CM Punk running around like he owns this place." I walked over to the ropes and looked at Punk lying on the ground.  
"You think you're invincible Punk? You think that you're safe because you've made everyone fear you? Well we're here to prove that you're not." The crowd cheered.  
"We are here to put the wrongs right. We are here to fight the injustice of WWE." I turned to the three of them.  
"Let me introduce to you; Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins." I pointed to each of them respectively.  
"You can't run from us. You can't hide from us. We are everywhere. We are watching your every move. And trust us Punk, this is just the beginning. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better."  
We all leaned in and shouted "Believe in The Shield".  
The crowd were going crazy chanting 'Shield, Shield, Shield'.

I could tell that this was the start of something incredible.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note:**

**I apologise for the lack of updates on this story - I lost all of the work for the story that was stored on my hard drive.**

**On a side note, this chapter is quite short but if you continue to read the story, the next few chapters are really long.**

**Also, thanks to everyone who favourite-ed the story - it means a lot! Please review, I want to get some feedback about my writing!**

I woke up the next morning, smiling to myself. Last night couldn't have gone any better.

I grabbed my phone off the side and saw a text message on the screen.

'Last night was awesome! My flight isn't til late if you wanna grab a coffee before you leave?'

It was from Seth. A smile came to my face as I text him back. He was such a sweet guy.

I got dressed and grabbed my stuff before heading to check-out of the hotel. I met Seth in the lobby and we started walking, our suitcases wheeling behind us.

We popped into the nearest Starbucks and grabbed two latte's to go. We found a bench nearby in the beautiful sunshine. Summer was slowly turning into Autumn and leaves were dancing around our feet.

"I can't believe the reaction we got last night!" Seth grinned as we sat down.

"It couldn't have gone better. It'll be a little different at the house shows though".

"I don't care right now. I'm on such a buzz. I'm just happy to be called up."

"Don't you miss the guys down in NXT though?" I asked whilst sipping my coffee.

"Yeah but I know that I'll see them again soon. Anyway, I'm taking every opertunity I get".

I smiled at his attitude. Something that I learned early on was to not let a single oppertunity pass you by because it won't come around twice.

We said our goodbyes and I headed to the airport. I was ready to get home. I had been on the road for 3 weeks without a break so it was nice to have a day or two to myself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors note:**

**First of all, I am so happy at the number of people actually reading this story. You guys are blowing me away.**

**Thanks again for reading, and please review!**

Friday soon rolled around and it was time to jump on my flight to Atlanta. I arrived at lunchtime and went to the hotel to check-in. All of the Superstars & Divas stay in the same hotel so we are always running into each other. I dumped my bags on the floor and flopped onto the bed. There was a knock at the door and I muffled into my bed that it was open. I pulled myself up and in walked Seth, Dean & Roman.  
"We're heading to the gym. Seeing as we are a group now, you've gotta come too" they teased.  
I grabbed my stuff and walked out, locking the door behind me.

The gym was pretty empty but I could see a few other Superstars in there working out. I'm not a great weight lifter, so I left the boys to it and went off to do some cardio. Even though we were told to do everything as a group, I like to workout on my own. I just plug my headphones in and get into the zone. I like to concentrate and be focused on myself with no distractions.

This was the first house show we were working together as 'The Shield' so it was a little different from RAW on Monday. Don't get me wrong, live TV is great, but everyone is much more relaxed during the week at the house shows. We were soon told that this week would be similar to the angle on RAW. Vince wanted us to do a run-in each night on Punk and then talk to the crowd. We were trying to get everyone to remember us.  
Once the night was over, we all agreed to leave bright and early in order to get to the next city on time.

I woke up the next morning in a good mood and bounced down to reception to check-out of the hotel. I met the guys at the car in the parking lot. After stopping off for some breakfast, we hit the road. Seth was driving, I was in the passenger seat, and the other two were in the back.  
"So PJ, talk to us..." Dean said.  
"What do you wanna know?" I asked.  
"Well, we're gunna be on the road together so we're gunna need to get to know you. You're like the mystery of the group".  
I laughed and shook my head. The guys have known each other for a while. They became good friends down in NXT and also had some great matches together. When I visited Florida to check out the young talent with Punk, Roman and Dean were both recovering from injuries, so I never had the chance to meet them.  
"Trust me, I'm not that much of a mystery. What do you want to know? Just fire questions at me."  
"Umm... Hometown?" Dean asked.  
"London, England. I live in Chicago though."  
"How long have you been wrestling?"  
"2 years. I was training for about a year and a half right before I got my contract with the WWE".  
"Wait, so you haven't worked for another wrestling company?"  
"Nope. It was so terrifying at the start, but I soon learnt the backstage stuff. I love the WWE and definitely don't want to leave" I smiled.  
Dean was looking at me, mouth open. "But that's crazy! So you've had no experience anywhere else? No background? No, nothing?"  
I started laughing. "Nothing. I just picked it up really quickly. It made me a target when I started but I had Punk to watch my back and Kaitlyn was good to me too".  
"What do you mean, a target?" Seth frowned at me.  
"People thought that they could push me around and make me look foolish because I was so new to everything. A lot of people didn't like me because I hadn't had any experience, therefore I had to work so hard to gain their respect."  
"But everyone is so good to you now though..."  
"Most people. I know that some guys still don't like me, and that's fine. I am in this for myself and no one else. I'm taking all of the opportunities that are given to me. Why should I spend my time worrying about what other people think?"

We pulled over at a service station and took a short break. Seth hung outside with me until it was time to leave again. The guys continued their questioning - Favourite TV programme, Movie, Actor, Actress, Singer, Band, Sport, Team, Animals, Writer, Books...  
We were laughing around when Dean got serious.  
"So... Are you seeing anyone right now, PJ?"  
The guys all looked at each other and I just smiled.  
"Oh come on! I know you two want to know too!"  
I smiled some more. "Nope, I'm single and have been for a while. It's hard to find someone who can understand our wrestling schedule".  
"Maybe you should go for a wrestler then?" Dean winked at me.  
"Well, what about you guys?"  
"I'm engaged" replied Roman.  
"Single" chimed in Seth and Dean.

I laughed a little and plugged my headphones in. The guys were great and I was really starting to bond with them. They're all around my age but I hadn't thought about them like that. I mean, don't get me wrong, they are good looking guys, but right now, I'm more concerned about my job than a relationship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors note:**

**i just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has read the story so far and also for those that have reviewed it. Your kind words are much appreciated.**

**So please, continue to read on and make sure to write a review!**

_Flashback to NXT:__  
Was anyone here?  
I slowly walked through the hallways hoping to see someone. I had decided to arrive early expecting to see superstars training in their own time. I walked down the narrow hall and as I neared the end, I could see 3 wrestling rings. To my surprise, someone was running the ropes. I leaned against the door frame and watched the man for a few moments.  
"Hey" I called out.  
He stopped and turned to face me. He was tall, tanned and had long dark hair with a blonde patch at the front.  
"Hey" he called back, getting out of the ring and walking over to me.  
"Where is everyone?"  
He gave a small laugh and replied "No one gets here 'til around two thirty because training isn't 'til three".  
"So how come you're here so early?"  
"I like to get as much time as possible in the ring, so I come in as early as I can".  
"Mind if I join you? I'm PJ by the way" I smiled and extended my hand.  
"Seth. Nice to meet you. We were told you'd be coming down today along with Punk".  
"Yeah, I thought I'd get here early expecting to see you guys training".  
He smiled at me and I dashed off to change into my workout clothes._

_I stepped into the ring and we got straight to it. As we began to wrestle, I could feel the passion he had for wrestling, and it was quite refreshing. So many of the Superstars had lost their fire over the years which made it more of a challenge to work with them. With Seth it seemed so easy... so natural. We practised various move sets and situations for over an hour before we both collapsed in the middle of the ring.  
"You're an incredible wrestler" I said, catching my breath.  
"Thanks. You're not too bad yourself" he laughed, nudging my arm.  
We led in the ring staring up at the cieling. Something about him made me feel safe. Made me feel calm. There was just something different about him.  
We moved to the ring apron and continued to talk.  
"So how long have you been here in NXT for?"  
"Almost 2 years now"  
"Wow, that's a while. Did you wrestle on the indys before you got signed?" I asked.  
"Yeah, I spent 3 years in Ring of Honour and also worked for other promotions. I was sad to leave but I knew I couldn't let this pass me by".  
We spent a while talking and I learnt more about who Seth really was. We talked about wrestling but also our personal lives. He was very friendly and I got a good vibe from him._

_A little while later Punk walked in and saw us chatting.  
"Aw, you two look cute together" he joked.  
Seth and I looked at each other, trying to laugh it off.  
Punk and Seth exchanged greetings before getting in the ring and training. I noticed that a few other Superstars had started to file in and tried to take note of their faces.  
Three o'clock came and the entire NXT roster were stood around the rings. Me and punk stood in the middle of one, along side Dusty Rhodes. He introduced us to the Superstars and Divas before they split off to do some training with us. I got to know the girls and found out what their wrestling skills were like. We worked on a lot of techniques and were all pretty tired at the end of it. As everyone was leaving the building, Punk and I hung back to chat about the talent we'd worked with. When were were done I made my way back to the Divas locker room, surprised to pass Seth in the hallway.  
"Thanks for training with me earlier PJ, I had fun".  
"You're welcome. I'll be back in tomorrow morning if you want to do it again?"  
He flashed me a smile that made my heart flutter. We said our goodbyes and headed in seperate directions._

_I was back in the building at the same time the next morning, and saw Seth as soon as I walked in.  
"Morning! I got you a latte" I said, handing the cup over.  
"Thanks. So you were impressed with the girls yesterday? They all went out after practise and said how nice you were".  
"They're pretty good actually. Some of them have a few things to improve on, but I could definitely see one or two of them being called up soon" I said.  
"That's great. I think you could use some fresh talent. I mean, they don't look as good as you out there in the ring, so they should definitely take notes" He said, winking at me.  
I blushed and continued to sip my coffee as we talked some more._

_It was a busy day down in Florida but everyone seemed used to doing the television tapings. Punk and I were told that we'd be involved in a match that night - it was going to be Team Punk Vs Team PJ. CM Punk & Paige vs PJ & Seth in an inter-gender match. It was going to be the best vs the best.  
We had spent the afternoon going over the basics of the match, including the finish.  
Just before the show was about to start, I peeked through the curtain and caught a glimpse of the fans. For a small building, the crowd seemed huge and they were pumped up ready to see some action.  
Soon enough it came time for us to head out. My music hit and Seth followed me to the ring. The crowd were on fire and just got louder as Punk joined us with Paige.  
Seth & Punk started off going back and forth, hitting move after move, pinfall after pinfall. Finally, CM Punk got the tag, and I stepped in opposite Paige. We eyed each other up as we circled the ring like predators. I opened up with a string of close-lines, much to the fans delight. I went to hit an Irish Whip, but she reversed it, sending me flying into the turnbuckles. Once in the corner, I got nailed with a set of stinging chest chops. Paige put up a good fight and the match was close, but just as I was thrown into the corner again, Paige ran at me and I ducked out of the way, diving over to Seth to make the tag. We knew that the finish was coming, and as Seth unloaded on Punk, he found the spot to hit a clean Skywalker.  
1...  
2...  
3!  
I grabbed my title and jumped back into the ring to celebrate with my partner. The crowd had worked themselves into a frenzy and were going wild, knowing that they had just witnessed something special. A few minutes later, Punk got up and shook hands with Seth, and I took the opertunity to hug it out with Paige. We had all worked hard and put on one of the best matches the NXT fans had seen in a while. I had a huge smile plastered on my face, and I knew it wasn't going to fade anytime soon..._

"What are you so happy about?" Seth whispered, glancing over at me.  
I took my headphones out and looked behind. Dean & Roman had fallen asleep, so I whispered back.  
"Just thinking about when me and Punk came to visit everyone down at NXT".  
"It was such a good 2 days but it feels like forever ago".  
"I know, and a lot has changed since then. For the better though. I'm glad that I got the chance to go down and visit. I'd love to do it again sometime".  
Seth continued to drive. I watched the open road ahead of us, a smile still fixed on my face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors note:**

**Thanks again to everyone who's read the story so far. Please note that I own nothing but the character of PJ and the story basis. Please favourite & review to let me know what you think!**

**Enjoy this next chapter, it's pretty long.**

RAW rolled around again and after our usual routine of having breakfast & hitting the gym, we arrived at the arena together. The guys headed for catering whilst I went to meet up with Kaitlyn in the Divas locker room. As I walked in, I noticed Summer sat whispering to Rosa & Aksana.  
"What are those guys whispering about?" I asked Kaitlyn.  
She had a worried look on her face and grabbed my arm, pulling me out the door and down the hall.  
"Have you been told what you're doing tonight?"  
"Not yet, why?"  
"I overhead Summer earlier and apparently you've got a title match against her".  
I grinned knowing that I could easily beat her. "So what's the problem?" I asked, a little confused.  
"I was listening to what she was saying to the girls, and although she is scheduled to lose, she isn't going down easy. She said that she wants to beat you any way she can."  
I laughed slightly. "Don't worry Kai, I'll be fine. She hasn't been able to defeat me yet, and I don't think that tonight will be any different".  
"Just promise me you'll be careful..."  
"Only if you promise to be watching" I smiled at her.  
We hugged goodbye and I went to catch up with the guys. I told them about what Kaitlyn had overheard earlier and they said that they'd be watching backstage as well.

Summer & I practised a few spots for our match before the show started but there wasn't anything different about her than normal. I tried not to let Kaitlyn get into my head too much, but it was playing on the back of my mind. We were booked to go on right before the main event, so I knew that the match was a pretty big deal.

We both made our entrances and stared each other down in the ring. Summer started trash talking to me, following up with a sweet slap to my cheek. It stung like a bee and got me wound up. I exploded on her, taking her down and ripping at her hair. The referee pulled me off and pushed us into seperate corners. We started the match and everything went according to plan, but I noticed that Summer was hitting me a little harder than normal. I thought nothing of it at first, but she seemed genuinly angry with me. I retaliated with a few stiff shots of my own, but this made her even madder. She kept smirking at me. Before I knew it, the time came for me to hit my powerbomb finisher. Just as I was about to lift her up, she slipper herself out and hit me with a hard close-line. It was unexpected and my head connected straight down with the mat. I must have blacked out because the next thing I knew, I saw Summer celebrating with _my_ WWE Diva's championship. I felt sick. Kaitlyn had been right. The referee threw his arms up, signalling that I was hurt. I couldn't move my neck and everytime I tried, I got a shooting pain into the front of my skull. My heart started beating faster and I was terrified. I wanted to get up, but nothing was working. I just wanted to move. 'Please, let me move my neck' I thought. I drifted in and out of consciousness as I noticed the EMT's were examining me. They had fitted a neck brace on me and I saw Kaitlyn, Seth, Dean & Roman by my side. They all looked so scared and Kaitlyn looked as though she was about to cry. She wouldn't let go of my hand and kept talking to me as they loaded me onto a backboard for the stretcher. I kept staring up at the ceiling and heard Summer call my name from the ring. She grabbed a microphone and screamed at me just before they were going to move me out of the ring.  
"You think you're so great, huh PJ? You thought that I couldn't beat you, but I _did_! See, I've been keeping my eye on you, and I know about the dark past that you're trying to keep hidden from everyone. I know more than you think. And now that I'm the _new_ Diva's champion, I will expose you for who you really are. Just mark my words".  
I tried to block out the noise. This was impossible. She couldn't know. No one knows. She just can't... Tears began to prick my eyes. I looked over to Kaitlyn but she had disappeared. The crowd were cheering and I saw on the tron that she had speared Summer right in the middle of the ring. That's my girl.  
I was wheeled to the back and out towards the awaiting ambulance. Before I knew it, tears started rolling down my cheeks.  
"You're gunna be okay" Seth reassured me.  
"I'm scared" I whispered faintly.  
Kaitlyn jumped in the back of the ambulance with me and we rode off to the hospital.

After 3 hours and numerous tests, I was left in a private room with Kaitlyn by my side. I looked over and smiled at her.  
"Thanks for being here with me" I said.  
She got up and started pacing back and forth. I could see how angry she was with Summer. "I can't believe what she did. I mean, you don't do that! She could have hurt you so much worse. I swear, she is gunna live to regret this."  
"Calm down Kaitlyn".  
"How are you so calm right now?! I'm gunna kick that bitches ass!"  
"I'm going to be okay and that's all I care about right now. I'll get payback on Summer, don't worry".  
She sat down next to me, and there was a knock at the door. Seth walked in with a worried look on his face.  
"Are you okay? What happened? Can you still wrestle? Are you gunna need time off?"  
"Calm down." I said.  
"I was so worried about you."  
Kaitlyn left to hunt down some coffee and food so Seth took the seat next to my bed.  
"I'm gunna be okay. I have a concussion and slight whip lash effect. Nothing's broken or torn, so I'm gunna make it back. They want me to take a week off and then I will need to get asessed by a WWE doctor next week to see if I'm fit enough to return to the ring. I should be back in time for the Pay Per View."  
Seth let out a sigh of relief. He got up and lightly hugged me. I could feel tears were forming in my eyes.  
"Hey, don't cry. You just said, it's good news!"  
"I was so scared. I thought that was it. I thought it was over for me." I whispered.  
He took my hand. "You're not going anywhere."  
At that moment, Kaitlyn walked in with coffee and chocolate for us. "Dean and Roman are here. They said that Vince is on his way in to see you too."  
They crept in behind her and smiled at me. A nurse followed in a few seconds later.  
"Miss James. I just need to check your blood pressure and then I can get you your discharge papers. You shouldn't be here too much longer. Now, your'e going to need to get some rest over these next few days. You won't be able to do any strenuous activity or exercise." She looked around the room. "Can we just have one visitor in here at a time please?"  
The room was a bit crowded with everyone huddled around. They all looked at each other before I realised that Seth was still holding my hand.  
"We'll leave you two to it I guess." Dean said. "We'll meet you back at the hotel. Text us when you're on your way back. Do you want a ride Kaitlyn?"  
She looked over and I could tell she was concerned for me. She lightly hugged me and I whispered in her ear. "Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would have done without you". She hugged me a little tighter and then left the room.  
The nurse walked out and I turned to Seth. "Can you help me sit up?"  
He took my arm and slowly helped me sit upright. I took a deep breath and let out a sigh.  
"Not how you were expecting your night to end up, huh?"  
"Far from it. I just want to get out of here."  
We sat in comfortable silence for a while. I was glad that he was by my side. He made me feel safe.  
10 minutes later, Vince walked in asking for an update. I relayed to him everything the nurses had told me and that I was needing to have the week off. He understood fully and was happy to see me okay. He was very angry with Summer for doing what she did, but told me I didn't need to concern myself with that for now. He ordered a car for me and left the two of us alone. Seth grabbed a wheelchair from down the hall and helped me into it. He picked up the bag that Kaitlyn had fetched for me earlier, now containing my ring outfit - I had changed into some leggings and a baggy shirt. I was wheeled down to the entrance and helped into the car, Seth jumping in the other side.

We pulled up to the hotel entrance and I noticed that there were fans waiting around. Seth carefully helped me out and put his arm around me as we made our way in. It felt like it took forever to get to my room. He opened the door and we shuffled in. I slowly lowered myself into bed, but I couldn't get comfortable. Seth was watching me and passed me another pillow for better comfort.  
"Is there anything else you need? Anything that you want me to do?" He asked.  
"I don't think so. Will you keep me company for a while though?"  
He sat down next to me on the bed and smiled. "Roman text me and said that everyone is asking how you're doing. They're all worried".  
"I'll deal with it all tomorrow. I'm gunna text Punk and ask him if I can take the bus home with him. I don't feel like flying and going through security is gunna be hell".  
For a fee minutes we sat in silence.  
"PJ?"  
"Mmm..."  
"What was Summer talking about? After your match."  
"Nothing. She doesn't know anything. She just trying to get to me".  
Seth turned towards me looking concerned. "Are you sure?"  
I paused. I wasn't sure. There was doubt in my mind. "... No one knows" I whispered.  
I felt tears begining to well in my eyes and Seth sensed not to ask anymore questions. We eventually drifted off to sleep, both worried.

I woke up with a pounding headache and looked to my right. Seth looked so peaceful and was sleeping so quietly. I tried to sit up and then pulled the covers off me.  
"You want some help?" He woke up.  
"I think I can do it". I slowly stood up and gained my balance before heading into the bathroom. Just as I was coming back out, I saw that Seth had answered my phone. He handed it over to me mouthing 'it's Punk'.  
"Hey man, how's it going?"  
"That's what I was about to ask you. I got your text last night - do you still want to ride home with me on the bus? I can pick you up in about an hour."  
"That's great, thanks. I'll grab some breakfast and meet you in the lobby". I hung up the phone and turned to Seth.  
"Thanks for staying with me last night. I really appreciate everything you did for me."  
He stood up and gave me a hug. "I'm just glad that you're gunna be okay. I'll see you next Monday?"  
"Yeah, hopefully I'll be able to get back in the ring. Once I get changed, can you help me down to the lobby with my bags?"  
Seth agreed and ran off to change his own clothes. He came back 10 minutes later, and grabbed my stuff. We headed down to the lobby and I checked-out before sitting in the hotel cafe, ordering breakfast. Seth said goodbye once again and scooted off. I saw a few of my friends in the cafe and they came over, asking how I was doing. No one could believe what had happened and it was clear that Summer had taken things too far.  
Punk walked in a while later and helped me onto his bus. It was so great to be able to use the bus to get home. I just wasn't in the mood to go through an airport right now. We got comfortable and Punk filled me in on the happenings of last night after I was taken to the hospital. He said that everyone was concerned and talking about it backstage. I told him what had happened to me and that I was going to have the week off and just take it easy. He smiled at me and paused.  
"So... Seth spent the night with you?"  
I laughed a little. "He helped me to my room and made sure that I was okay. I asked him to keep me company for a while because I didn't feel great. We just fell asleep. You know that he's my friend, right?"  
Punk raised his eyebrows at me. "I get it. Just promise me that you're going to be careful".  
"If there was something to be careful about then I would. But there isn't. And you know that I'm focused on my job right now".  
"I just don't want anything happening to you, like last time" He said.  
I froze. Punk was the one person that I could tell anything to. He was the one person that was there for me from day 1. He was the one person that I could trust with my life. He's the one person that knows all of my deepest secrets and fears. I smiled at him, trying to get those thoughts out of my head.


	6. Chapter 6

It was strange having an entire week to myself so I decided to take the doctors advice and take things slow. Punk got me home safely but had to fly out a few days later for the house show on Thursday. I spent the week at home, relaxing, cleaning, sorting and enjoying the end of the summer. I phoned my parents and my sister to catch up with their lives. It was nice. I felt at peace.

Before I knew it, Monday had rolled around and it was time for me to head back out. I felt much better so I took an early flight out to Houston. I called Vince to let him know that I had landed, and he told me to come to the arena once I was checked-in at the hotel. As I neared the arena I noticed some fans hanging around, so I went over and signed autographs and took photos. They all wished me a speedy recovery. I walked inside and went straight to see Vince in his make-shift office. He was pleased to see me and asked how I was doing. He guided me down the hall to the trainers room, and I was left alone with one of our WWE doctors. After only an hour and plenty of tests, he told me that I was fine to come back to work. He called Mr McMahon in and told him that it might not be best for me to wrestle this week, but I was free to do anything else. Vince and I walked back to his office and he sat me down.  
"I know that you want to get in the ring, but I think we'll hold it off until the Pay Per View".  
That was almost two weeks away. I was dissapointed, but I figured I could wait.  
"I'm happy for you to accompany The Shield down to the ring like normal, and we can cut some promos with you and do some backstage work. This week will fly by, don't worry."  
I smiled at him. Vince was very kind and I thanked him greatly.  
"We will have you do a run-in attack on Summer next Monday, setting you two up for a match at Night of Champions".  
"Thanks Vince, I really appreciate it."  
"PJ... Stay away from Summer - don't let her get to you".  
When I left the office, I text the guys to let them know the good news. It was already 3 o'clock so people were starting to filter into the building. Before it got busy, I decided to take a walk down to the ring. I took my time and looked around the empty arena. Thousands of seats would be filled with screaming fans in just a matter of hours. I got closer to the ring and suddenly felt short of breath. I kept thinking back to last week and how I thought my career was over, how everything had changed for me in a matter of seconds. I was angry. I sat on the barricade and tried to calm myself down. A few seconds later I head footsteps coming towards me.  
"There she is, our missing member" Dean smiled at me.  
I hugged each of them in turn, genuinely glad to see them.  
"How are you feeling?" Roman asked.  
"Better. Much better. My neck is still sore and they don't want me wrestling for at least another week, but I do get to accompany you guys!" I was looking on the positive side.

We all headed backstage and I was greeted by some of my friends. I was surprised when even Kane asked how I was doing, considering he wasn't my biggest supporter. It felt good that I had so many people concerned about me. I made my way to the Diva's locker room and was greeted by Kaitlyn.  
"I've missed you so much!" She squeeled, lightly hugging me.  
"I missed you too. Thanks again for everything you did last week. I'm proud to call you my best friend".  
We sat and talked for a while whilst the other girls filed in. She told me that she had taken my place during the house shows and was having some great matches with Summer. I was pleased for her - Kaitlyn was such a good wrestler and packed a powerful punch. Just as we were laughing, Summer walked in and as soon as she saw me, she smirked.  
"Argh, my shoulder is killing me from this heavy Diva's championship I've been carrying around all week" she laughed.  
I held my tongue and rolled my eyes. I wasn't going to let her get to me. Kaitlyn took my hand and mouthed 'ignore her'.  
I met up with the guys and went down to the ring with them to watch them practise for their match. As they were finishing up, Summer came wandering down, a smile plastered all over her face. Kaitlyn was close behind.  
"Looks like I'll be winning _again_ tonight then. Too bad it won't be as satisfying as last week" She looked at me.  
I held my gaze and gritted my teeth. I wasn't going to let her get to me. The guys jumped out of the ring and stood by my side. We stayed there and watched Kiatlyn. I was proud that she'd gotten a spot on TV, everyone knows that she deserves it. They had 10 minutes and practised then entire thing. Kaitlyn looked impressive but unfortunately she wasn't going to win. Summer pranced around the ring looking smug. I knew she was trying to antagonise me. When they were finished she climbed out and walked over to me.  
"Such a shame you messed up the match last week, PJ. I mean, it was watched my _millions_ of people. Talk about embarrassing..."  
I was trying to keep my cool. I wasn't going to let her get to me.  
"And on top of everything, you lost the Diva's championship. It couldn't have been worse..." She laughed.  
I knew I had to get away from her so I went to walk past her.  
"PJ, look out!" screamed Kaitlyn.  
I felt a hard force hit the back of my head. Seconds later I was flat out on the floor. She had snuck in a cheap shot. Ignoring the pain, I got up and lunged for her. The boys grabbed me first and held me back.  
"YOU'RE GUNNA BE SORRY YOU EVER MESSED WITH ME, SUMMER" I screamed at her. "I'M GUNNA KICK YOUR ASS, BITCH!"  
I got dragged to the back and taken straight to the trainers office. He checked my neck and told me that I was okay. I ran out of the office and barged straight into Vince's office, closely followed by my team mates.  
"I want a stipulation. I want no holds barred. I want anything goes. I'M GUNNA TEACH HER A LESSON". I didn't care that everyone could hear us. I'd had enough and couldn't wait to get my hands on her.  
Vince looked confused so Dean explained what had just happened, and to my surprise he smiled at me and told me it was done. I'd get no holds barred. I marched down to the Diva's locker room and pushed Summer into the corner.  
"Me and you. Night of Champions. No holds barred. Prepare for the fight of your life. You're gunna wish you never touched me." I spat.  
Everyone, including Summer, were left shocked. When I glanced at Kaitlyn I noticed she had a slight smile on her face. I grabbed my bags and stormed out of the locker room.  
"I can't stay in there with her. She won't come out alive." I told the guys.  
"It's fine, you can share our locker room" Roman reassured me.  
There were 4 locker rooms in the arena - one for the girls and 3 for the guys. The Shield had one shared with Punk, Randy and Shemus. I sat myself in the middle of the floor and tried to calm down. Seth sat down next to me.  
"You can't let her get to you like that".  
"She makes my blood boil. She just... Just..." I couldn't finish my sentence. If this were a cartoon, steam would be coming out of my ears.  
The guys left me alone for a while, only to come back to get changed, ready for their match. I silently walked out to gorilla with them. Seth turned to me and looked me in the eyes.  
"Chin up. Your'e better than her."  
I was glad for the night to be over soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors note: Thank you again to everyone who has read and reviewed the sorry! I'm glad you're all liking it. This chapter is a pretty long one, so ENJOY! I own nothing but the basic story and the character of 'PJ'.**

My flight home was long and uncomfortable so I was exhausted by the time I got home on Tuesday. I unlocked the front door, walked in and threw my bags down, not caring where they landed. I felt so emotionally drained. My neck was sore but every time I thought about it, anger built up inside of me. I was determined not to let Summer get to me. Our match was set and that's all I cared about. I knew I would get my revenge. I spent the rest of Tuesday lazing around the house not even having enough energy to go to the gym. As the evening drew closer, I crawled into bed and heard my phone ringing. Without looking at caller ID, I answered it. "Hey sis!"  
"Hey Alix!" A smile automatically took over my face. Everytime I spoke to my sister, my mood lightened. "I _finally_ got some time off from work and school, so I was hoping to come visit you".  
"That would be great, you'd really be cheering me up actually!" I half heartedly laughed.  
"Well, I finish tomorrow for two weeks, so how about I fly out sometime next week?"  
"Sounds awesome. I can book the flight for you - I've got a bunch of flyer miles to use up so I can bump you up to first class if you want, yanno, the whole experience. I have RAW on Monday so I'll be home Tuesday around midday. I won't be home for long though, I've got to be in Green Bay on Friday for a show".  
"That's fine. I'll spend a few days with you and then spend the rest of my time exploring the city." As she finished her sentence I could tell she was happy. I hadn't seen my sister in over nine months so I was excited for her to come and visit me. We finished our convocation and I drifted off to sleep happy.

I decided to take an early flight out to Memphis and get there on Wednesday instead of Thursday. The sun was shining brightly and it was eighty degrees so I quickly checked into the hotel and slipped on my bikini before heading down to the pool. I took a book with me and led by the water, enjoying the hot rays of sunshine. I felt at peace once again.  
I met the guys and a bunch of other superstars as they arrived on Thursday. We went to the gym and talked about where we thought the storyline with The Shield might go. The guys could tell that I was in a good mood so they didn't say anything about Summer.  
When we got to the arena, I walked to catering with Seth.  
"So why so happy, PJ?" He asked.  
I couldn't help but smile. "I've got my sister coming to visit on Tuesday. I haven't seen her for over nine months".  
"Sounds great. It's nice to see you happy for a change".  
We finished our food and joined the other two in the locker room. "Punk's calling us out tonight. He's gunna demand a match with one of us and he'll end up with you, Seth. We're changing it up this weekend so we all get a chance to wrestle, and on Monday, the WWE Universe will decide who they want to see wrestle him." Dean informed us.  
Punk swung by a little later and we all joined him at ringside. Whilst the boys were working an angle out, Punk pulled me to the side. "How you doing, PJ?"  
"Good. I'm looking foward to RAW when I get to attack Summer, and then it's off home Tuesday to meet Alix" I smiled.  
"You're sisters coming to town? We'll have to go out for pizza or something. It's been so long!" The two of them met when Alix visited me the last time. They got on well and it was nice to see my two families work so well together. It brought a smile to my face.

The house shows went well over the weekend and all three of the boys got the chance to wrestle CM Punk. Each night I accompanied them out and I was happy to be at ringside watching. Monday rolled around and it was my big night. I was told that I'd be doing an attack on Summer backstage, resulting in our match at Night of Champions. We got to the arena early and I was feeling excited. Kaitlyn caught me up on all the gossip as she walked me to hair and make-up.  
The show kicked off with Punk calling out The Shield. We made our way down to the ring, and explained that he was the wrong we were trying to put right. The crowd were really behind us and the WWE Universe got to vote on Twitter as to who they thought should face Punk. The results ended up with Dean being the winner.  
Dean vs Punk was the last match of the night. Summer was scheduled to have a match with Kaitlyn right before it, which was when I made my move. Kaitlyn made her entrance first and when Summer's music hit, she was no where to be seen. The cameraman ran backstage finding Summer and I fighting. I hadn't spoken to her all day so she had no idea how to react. I knew that this was my moment to let out all of my anger towards her, and that's exactly what I did. I caught her from behind with a clubbing blow. When she was on the ground, I let myself go and stomped the living hell into her. As she crawled to get up, I dragged her by her hair and threw her into some crates and polls sending them flying everywhere. Her body flew around like a rag doll. To finish the job, I delivered a fierce DDT straight to the concrete below. Summer lay there as my team mates rushed to my side, knowing that my emotions had taken over. As I was being pulled away, I screamed at her that justice was coming. It was announced later on in the night that a match had been put in place for the Pay Per View. After I was done with Summer backstage I quickly filmed a segment for explaining that I wanted a no holds barred match. I also got 'ejected' from the arena, and they filmed me walking out. In reality, I walked straight back in and sat in the locker room trying to calm myself down. I started to watch Punk vs Dean when Kaitlyn knocked on the door and snuck in next to me.  
"Good job on Summer. Saying that she's pissed off is an understatement" she nudged me. I secretly smiled knowing that I'd done a good job. I wasn't finished and knew that actual payback would come on Sunday at Night of Champions.

Dean had a great match but it ended in a disqualification when the other two members of The Shield got involved and started hammering away on Punk. I greeted them as they walked into the locker room. "Great match guys, sorry I wasn't out there".  
They all nodded at me. "Thanks, now grab your stuff, we've gotta go" Dean said.  
"Wait...Where?" I asked, confused.  
"Vince just told us that he wants us at the SmackDown tapings tomorrow night, and it's a 4 hour drive so it's better to leave now".  
"No! I can't, I've got my sister coming in tomorrow!"  
"Well go tell that to Vince, but I don't think he'll care"  
I knew there was nothing I could do, so I sulked and grabbed my stuff before leaving with the guys. I sat in the car, figuring out what to do. After an hour or so we pulled over to get some food and I whipped out my phone. I knew that Alix would be up so I proceeded to call her. "Hey, I've got some bad news" I started. "I've gotta be at the SmackDown tapings tomorrow night in St Louis so I'm not going to be able to pick you up from the airport".  
"It's okay, I'll just get a taxi or something. I'll just see you when you get home I guess".  
"I am gunna see if Punk can let you in because he's the only one that has a spare key to my house. I am hoping that we are only needed at the start of the tapings because it means that I can leave straight awy and then hopefully get home to see you at a reasonable time. If not, I'll try and catch one of the last flights out. I'll leave you a voicemail to let you know what happens".  
"Okay, thats great. I'm so excited to see you!" She sounded so happy which made me feel worse for not being able to be there for her tomorrow. As soon as I hung up, I text Punk. He was happy to help, so that gave me some relief for the night. As we got back on the road I checked online to see what flights there were back to Chicago. If I had to stay for the entire tapings, I could get the 11:30pm flight out. It was a perfect plan.

It took us a long 4 and a half hours to get to St Louis, and we were all shattered once we arrived. I went straight to bed, only to get up a few hours later for the gym.  
We got to the arena and Mr McMahon pulled us to the side. He told us that The Shield were going to do a run-in on the Big Show after he attacks the World Heavyweight Champion, Alberto Del Rio. Unfortunately for me, it was right at the end of the night so I knew I'd have to take the late flight home.  
Everything went according to plan and I grabbed a microphone to address the crowd.  
"We are The Shield, and we are fighting the injustice of WWE. We are putting right the wrong. Just ask CM Punk..."  
The crowd were wild and went home happy. I dashed to the back as quickly as I could and grabbed my bags before heading out of the building. I flagged down a cab and told the driver to take me to the airport. Once there, I rushed through reaching the girl on the desk.  
"I know I only have 30 minutes but I need a ticket for the 11:30pm flight to Chicago please" I said whilst catching my breath.  
"I'm sorry m'am but that flight has been cancelled"  
She had to be joking. I had raced there for no reason. "Are you sure? When is the next flight out?"  
"Not until midday tomorrow, I'm afraid. I'm very sorry".  
I walked away from the desk and sat down trying to think of a solution. I couldn't believe it. Nothing was working out for me and it made my heart sink thinking about Alix all alone in my apartment. Tonight was not my night. At that moment, I got a text from Seth.  
'So much for a goodbye! Have a safe flight, I'll see you Friday'  
I was too upset to take the time to text back so I decided to call him instead. "My flight's been cancelled" I said drearily.  
"What? That sucks! What are you gunna do?"  
"I have no idea. There isn't another flight out 'til midday. I'm so freakin' annoyed! I guess there's nothing I can do. I'll call the hotel and see if I can get a room and then leave in the morning". We swiftly hung up bit a few minutes later my phone was ringing.  
"Don't go anywhere. I'm on my way" Seth said.  
"Why? There's nothing you can do". I was confused.  
"We'll hire a car and drive back. It'll take a while but it's quicker than waiting til midday".  
Before I could protest he'd hung up on me. I figured I should make the most of the situation so I went to the nearest shop and grabbed some food for the road. I then text my sister to let her know what was happening. When Seth arrived, we went straight to car hire and took the first vehicle that was available. It had just past midnight when we got on the road. "You know you didn't have to do this" I told him.  
"Yeah but it seemed important that you were to get home to see your sister. Anyway, I don't mind. I wasn't leaving til tomorrow anyway" He smiled at me.  
"You're too good to me, you know that? Look, you can stay at mine when we arrive. It's the least I can do". He thanked me and continued driving, his eyes fixed on the road. After 2 rest stops and 5 hours, we had arrived in Chicago. I always loved the city this early in the morning - it was so peaceful and quiet with only the odd few people around. It reminded me of home.  
My house wasn't very big because I didn't see the point in having more than what I needed. I had brought my 2-bedroom home last year and it was only a few blocks away from Punk. Seeing as I was on the road so much, it suited me perfectly. We crept in, trying not to make too much noise. "Home sweet home" I whispered and looked at Seth. We were both pretty exhausted.  
"I'll take the couch" he said.  
I playfully slapped him on the arm. "Don't be rediculous, you can stay upstairs with me. I've got pleanty of space".  
He followed me up the stairs and into my bedroom. As he used the bathroom, I got undressed and slipped on my pyjamas. We both got into bed and laid there in silence. "Thanks for driving me back" I whispered. "It really means a lot. I appreciate it".  
"You're welcome. I'll do anything for you".  
Within seconds, I fell asleep.

There was a tiny knock on my bedroom door, and Alix poked her head around the frame. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Seth lying next to me. I quickly hopped out of bed and walked downstairs with her. We were both in our pyjamas and sat in the kitchen as I brewed some coffee. "So who's the guy?" She asked.  
"His name is Seth. He drove me back last night".  
Alix raised her eyebrows at me again. "I work with him. He's one of my closest friends" I smiled.  
Alix shook her head. "You like him! I can see it in your eyes!" she squeeled.  
"Ssshhh! He's a great guy, but there is nothing going on. So how did you sleep?" I said, trying to change the topic of convocation. We moved into the living room and continued talking. A few minutes later, Seth made his way downstairs. "Do I smell coffee?" he asked. I noticed that he'd gotten changed.  
"Yep, it's in the kitchen. Straight ahead."  
When he walked back in, I could feel Jess watching me. "Seth, this is my sister Alix. Alix, this is Seth". She smiled and shook his hand.  
"Nice to finally meet you. PJ's been going on about you all week" he chuckled.  
"You guys work together then?"  
"Yeah, and we travel together too. I don't mean to gatecrash your time with PJ though".  
I continued sipping my coffee whilst my eyes focused on the ground. After a while, me and Alix went upstairs to get ready for the day. She nudged me and smiled. 'He's cute' she mouthed. I ignored her and went into my bedroom.  
As I got downstars, Seth was looking at flights back to Tampa. "There's a flight at two but it's fully booked, so the next one I can catch is at eight, if you don't mind me hanging around for a while" He said.  
I smiled and said it was fine.  
"I've text Punk and we're gunna hit the gym for a while, so I'll let you get back to your sister".  
"I'll be in all day so just let me know when you're on your way back" I said. He said goodbye and waved to Alix as she walked down the stairs.  
We spent the afternoon catching up on the ins and outs of each others lives. It was so nice to have her with me, and even though it had been nine months, it felt like no time had passed us by. She was like my best friend. We were only two years appart in age so we got on really well. I couldn't believe she was only here for a week, so I wanted to make sure I spent as much time with her as possible. A few hours passed and Seth arrived back. Alix had gone upstairs to have a nap because jet lag was getting to her. "Good time at the gym?" I asked, putting my book down.  
Seth came and sat next to me. "Yeah, it was fun working out with Punk". He rubbed his eyes and looked pretty tired. "I'm gunna take a shower and then grab my bag".  
Just as he was about to get up, I had an idea. "Why don't you just stay here?" I asked. "I mean, you're only going home for one day, so why don't you just stay here and not worry about catching a flight. We'll fly out together Friday morning".  
He looked at me. "Are you sure? I don't want to be intruding on your time with your sister".  
I shook my head. "It's fine. Honestly. You can use the washer to do your clothes and then you'll be all set for Friday. Me and Alix aren't doing much anyway, just catching up, so it's fine".  
He nodded and stood up. "Thanks".  
"It's okay. We are gunna go out for some pizza in a bit if you wanna join. Punk's coming too".

The four of us headed out to eat at our local pizzaria. It was a beautiful late summers evening and the wind was warm. I fell behind and watched the three people I care about the most, laughing and talking. It made me feel so happy. This was a perfect moment.  
We had a fun evening out and ended up walking the streets of Chicago for a couple of hours. I showed Alix a few of my favourite spots, and we even went past the gym that I met Punk in. It brought back good memories.  
Friday appeared from out of no where and I bid my emotional farewells to Alix. Even though I'd only got to spend 2 days with her, it was worth it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors note: sorry for the lack of updates recently - I've had a lot going on so a few things have taken a backseat lately. Anyway, enjoy Chapter 8. Please note that I own nothing but the story idea & the character of PJ.**

The weekend flew by and it was suddenly time for Night of Champions. Everyone was in good spirits and the mood backstage was generally positive. As soon as I entered the arena I could see everyone hurrying around trying to find out what their role was for the night. I knew mine. I had my eye on the prize: the WWE Diva's Championship.

I had kept away from Summer all weekend and spent my time in the locker room with my Shield team mates. I was sat on the couch trying not to get myself too worked up about my match when Dean walked in with a concerned look on his face.

"PJ, Summer's outside and wants to talk to you".

I slowly creeped through the door, finding myself face to face with the woman who had stolen so much from me recently.

"Look PJ, I just want to talk to you. We have a big match tonight and I don't want either of us to mess it up. I know you can't stand me right now, but why don't we go down to the ring and practise a few spots?"

I slowly looked her up and down. I studied her face, her body language before giving her my answer.

"There's no need. It's a no holds barred match which means that anything goes. I mean, I'm a professional and I know that I can call a match on the fly. So the next time I see you won't be until the bell rings, and you'd better be prepared" I growled.

Summer muttered something under her breath and swiftly walked away.

The guys told me that they were booked to do another run-in attack on CM Punk in his championship match tonight. Vince said that there was no need for me to be out there with them, so that was one less thing on my mind.

The Pay-Per-View started off great and everyone was pumped up. The crowd could be heard from backstage and you could feel the electricity in the air. It was one of those special moments that only comes around once in a while.

I sat in the locker room, eyes shut and trying to calm my nerves. I opened my eyes to see Kaitlyn stood in front of me.

"Did you say anything to Summer earlier?" She asked.

"I told her that I didn't want to practise anything and I'd just see her down in the ring. Why?"

"She seems extra bitchy today. I think she might be up to something - every time I walk into the locker room, she stops talking. I might be reading too much into it, but just promise me that you'll be safe out there tonight? I don't think I can handle a repeat of last time..."

I nodded to my friend and took what Kaitlyn was saying but tried not to let it get to me. Tonight was my time to shine. Tonight was my chance to win back what rightfully belonged to me. Tonight was about revenge. I said a quick goodbye to Kaitlyn and the guys as they walked off to watch me on one of the monitors backstage.

Summer made her way out first to a chorus of loud boos. The second my music hit, the crowd went nuts. I had trained so hard this week, so I was going to make sure to deliver. The crowd grew louder, cheering & shouting as we stared each other down in the ring. I felt like an animal about to pounce on my prey. The bell rang and I exploded on Summer knocking her down hard. I continued with a string of punches and slaps. The WWE Universe were loving every second. I grabbed Summer by her hair and tossed her accross the ring like a rag doll. As she led there, I rolled out of the ring to grab a steel chair. Moments later she spotted me approaching, and made a run for it. She headed up the ramp and through the curtain. I smiled knowing that there was nowhere for her to hide tonight. I darted in the direction she ran, as did the referee. Just as I stepped through the curtain, I was attacked with a nasty knee to the gut. I dropped the chair and fell to the floor instantly. Summer caught her breath and then threw me against the wall following up with a few slaps to my face. We moved deeper backstage and I managed to duck out of the way of a running clothesline. I spun her around to face me and delivered some vicious knife-like chops to her chest. Everyone could hear her screams of pain as they echoed down the hall. I didn't care that I was hurting her. I wanted her to feel that pain she'd put me through last week. She fell to the ground and I let her crawl away from me. We got round the corner where there was a gathering of Superstars and Diva's watching the match. Kaitlyn spotted me and I called her name. I picked up Summer and held her arms back so that Kaitlyn could land a clean slap. As soon as I let go of her arms, Kaitlyn finished her off with a spear much to the delight of the guys & girls stood around. Everyone was cheering me on including Dean, Seth & Roman. I high-fived them before grabbing Summer by her fake blonde hair and dragging her all the way back to the ring. I knew that our time was almost up, so I tossed her onto the canvas and grabbed a microphone.

"You still think that you're so clever, huh, Summer? I hope you're feeling all the pain that you put me through last week. I told you that I would kick your ass, and I never fall back on my word. But it's okay, at least you found out the hard way never to cross me again" I spat.

I dropped the mic and set her up for my finishing powerbomb. As I lifted her limp body into the air, I made sure to deliver with full force. I then simply placed my foot on her chest for the cover.

The crowd counted with me...

1...

2...

3!

I took my title from the referee and held it high above my head. It was back where it belonged and it made me feel complete. I looked down at Summer and smiled. My job was done and that was one of the best Diva's matches there had been for a while. I rolled out of the ring into the arms of Kaitlyn who had joined me to celebrate. We walked around the ring and high-fived everyone including Cole & Lawler. When I got to the top of the stage, I heard laughing over the arena. I looked back at Summer and she was attempting to stand up, microphone in her hand.

"I'll let you have your precious Diva's title PJ, but don't forget, I know about your past."

I froze.

"I know the one thing you're hiding from everyone. I know the one thing that you don't want a single soul to know. The one thing that changed your life yet you are too ashamed of saying out loud. Don't worry though, your secret's safe with me... For now..." She had a sick sadistic smile plastered on her face.

I stared at her. The colour had drained from my face and Kaitlyn dragged me away. Those words kept ringing in my head and I suddenly wasn't in the mood to celebrate anymore. I thanked Kaitlyn and rushed off to the locker room, tears pricking the back of my eyes.

As much as I protested, the guys and some of the other Superstars insisted that I go out for a celebratory dinner. Considering that by the time we were ready to leave it was midnight, we settled on the nearest Denny's. I tried to enjoy myself but I think it was starting to show that I was worried about the situation with Summer. Everyone kept congratulating me and tried to make me feel better, but I couldn't get Summer off my mind. I couldn't get her words out of my head. A few hours later we picked ourselves up and headed back to the hotel. As we began the walk back I slowed down and lagged behind everyone. I was enjoying the sweet summer breeze and the silence in the city. Seth slowed down so he could walk along side me.

"Everything okay?" He asked as he put his arm around my shoulders.

"Just trying to clear my head".

We walked back in peaceful silence. When we arrived, Seth was kind enough to walk me up to my room. I was about the open my door when he grabbed my arm and turned me around to face him. He stepped fowards and pulled me in closer to his frame. I looked up into his beautiful big eyes, our faces just centimetres appart. I could feel his breath on my cheek. He gave me a devilish grin which made my heart begin to race. He carefully leaned in and faintly brushed his lips against mine. Teasing him back, I lifted my finger and lightly ran it along his jaw line.

Not a second passed before he planted his lips upon mine and rested his hands on my waist as our breathing quickly got heavier.

Suddenly I felt myself pushing him away.

"I can't do this" I whispered, walking into my room and shutting the door behind me.

I leant against the door, took a deep, shake-y breath and slowly sunk down to the floor. Tears were fast rolling down my cheeks and I could no longer stop them. Why did it have to be like this? Seth was amazing and I wish I didn't have to push him away. I wished that he'd come back.

I led in bed staring up at the ceiling. I may have just lost one of my best friends and it was all my fault. I kept replaying what had happened in my head but every time I did so, my heart broke a tiny bit more.

I picked up my phone to check the time and received a text message from Seth.

'Im sorry for what I did. I'm sorry if I upset you in any way.'

I couldn't bring myself to text him back because I knew that nothing would make this situation better.

I managed to drift in and out of sleep before my alarm went off at nine. I immediately though about what had happened last night and had a horrible sinking feeling hit me.

I reluctantly packed my bag and made my way down to the hotel lobby. We all exchanged brief greetings and walked to the parking lot in silence. I couldn't look Seth in the eye and I felt so distant from him. We all jumped into the car and soon hit the open road. The tension in the car was obvious but none of us spoke a single word.

We were driving to Phoenix for RAW but my mind wasn't focused on the show. After trying to think of something to say but coming up short, I decided to put my headphones in and try to catch up on some sleep.

A short while later we pulled over at a rest stop and I woke up but kept my eyes closed. I could hear muffled voices coming from the guys outside the car.

"Is everything ok with you and PJ?"

"It's fine... Just leave it alone."

I couldn't believe that he didn't tell his best friends. The moment was there for him to tell them how he really felt but he held back. I couldn't believe what a great guy he really was.

The car ride was long and we all kept pretty quiet. Once we made it to Phoenix we went to the hotel to check-in. I decided not to wait for the guys and instead went straight for my room. I felt so drained and exhausted. As I flopped onto the bed and there was a knock at my door. I debated answering it until I heard Seth's voice on the other side. I swung open the door and managed a faint smile.

"We're going to the gym if you wanna join us?"

"I'm not really in the mood right now..." I sighed.

Just as he was about to walk away, I grabbed his hand. "Can we talk? Please?"

He nodded to Dean & Roman before following me inside. He quietly sat down on the bed and looked down at his hands. There was silence separating us. I shuffled around a bit and closed my eyes for a second.

"I'm sorry for what happened last night" I whispered.

Seth shrugged it off but I could tell that he was hurt. "PJ, what's going on with you? You won't talk to anyone and whatever it is, we can all see that it's eating you up inside."

I stood there in silence. I didn't know what to say. My voice wanted to come out but my mouth wouldn't move.

"It's summer isn't it? She really does have something on you. You can talk to me. Just tell me what's going on." He stood up and took my hands. "I care about you, PJ..."

I wanted nothing more than to tell Seth everything. I wanted to let it all out and have someone tell me that I'd be okay. I wanted to be free of this curse. I wanted this weight lifted off of my shoulders. But I couldn't. It was too much of a risk. I looked into his eyes and felt my heart flutter, just like it did when I first met him.

'I can't' I mouthed, unable to form any words. Tears were falling down my cheeks rapidly.

"Why not?" Seth whispered.

"It'll change everything. You won't look at me the same way. No one will. It... It's too painful..."

He gently wiped away my tears and once again leaned in to kiss me. I pushed the negative thoughts out of my mind and this time wrapped my arms around his neck. We stood there for a few minutes smiling at each other and not letting go. I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. He stood there and held me, making me feel safe.


End file.
